


how are you feeling?

by republicofirwin



Category: Ackley Bridge (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, Tooth Rotting Fluff, theyre ?? so ?? soft ??, this is my first fic pls be kind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 12:46:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15886344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/republicofirwin/pseuds/republicofirwin
Summary: Naveed is only human and hearing Cory "Walking STD" Wilson have an internal debate over whether to watch Madagascar or Kung Fu Panda is probably the cutest thing he's ever seen.





	how are you feeling?

It's a known fact in Ackley Bridge that Cory Wilson cares about his appearance more than most 17 year old boys, he's always showered, clean shaved, perfectly dressed and wearing cologne more often than not. That's how when Cory slinks into biology on a Friday afternoon looking like he's been sleeping in random womens houses again, with his disheveled, wrinkled uniform Naveed immediately notices. Naveed is perfectly aware that he always notices Cory and his general well-being more than he should, but given Cory's history it's easy for him to justify it to himself. He's aware of his less than "platonic" feelings for his best friend and hes accepted this. He's going to notice any differences, but he's just being a good friend, checking up on him, even if it's from a distance and instead making a silent note to check up on Cory once they're alone knowing that Cory will only allow himself to show any hint of vulnerability around Naveed. 

Cory has been feeling...off for the past few days, brushing it off whenever anyone says he looks ill saying "I'm alright mate I just haven't really slept leave it" which, isn't technically a lie, he hadn't been sleeping, instead spending all day in school desperately trying to keep up being normal to not attract any attention, being cocky, being his usual self but going home and spending half the night with his forehead resting on the rim of the toilet and spending the other half trying desperately to fall asleep, just to hear his alarm beeping 2 hours later, making the headache he's desperately been trying to nurse pound harder. 

They're in biology, the final class of the week and Cory's stomach is twisting, turning and all he can do is will his half eaten lunch to stay down for 5 more minutes, trying to ignore Riz talking about whatever party was on this week because the thought of alcohol was doing the ominous feeling in his gut no favours, and giving Naveed a tight lipped smile when Naveed, ever caring and always careful to protect Cory anyway he can mouths "Are you okay Cor?" from across the table, and Riz looking at the pair at that moment and commenting "Mate no offence but I actually think some of them frogs Mr Hyatt made us dissect looked better than you do now" making Naveed give Riz a look, not enough to give away anything, but enough for Riz to catch on that it's time to shut the fuck up, that Cory is going to go home and probably spend the weekend sick, miserable and alone if he's pushed to talk about himself.  
Cory has never been so grateful to hear the bell at the end of the lesson, rushing down the hall to the nearest bathroom he could find, not surprised at all in the slightest when he hears Naveeds voice through the stall door, telling him to breathe and that he's fine, that he'll walk him to the gate at least. Naveed hates when Cory does this, hates how he never admits when he doesnt feel good. But he understands why he never says it, he hasn't had anyone actually give him proper affection or love in years, since his mum left him and Jordan, so instead he just picks up Cory's bag, hands him a chewing gum and says, in a voice that shows just how much he cares about his best friend "How are you feeling?" 

It's such a small thing, a basic question but one that Cory hasn't been asked while he was ill in years that it means the world to him, but instead he just coughs and replies with a croaky voice "Uh better than Wednesday, but still like I could drop dead at any moment" and Naveed laughs, of course Cory would still have a sense of humour when he has such a bad flu that Naveed is already making a mental list of what to get in the chemist on his way home from school. 

"So, I assume you haven't actually eaten and kept anything down in a few days? What medicine are you taking? Have you milk at home? bread? tea bags?" Naveed isn't even aware he's thinking out loud until Cory lets out a breathless laugh, coughing with the amount of sheer effort it took and how breathless it made him, and asking Naveed "What are you on about Nav?" not catching on that Naveed is making a shopping list for him until the realisation hits him "Oh? OH! oh you mean-" Naveed just smiles at him and interupts "Obviously, you're on your death bed. I'm gonna go home and tell mum I'm staying in yours , going to get a few things and come over. I'll be at yours 'round 6?" and there's nothing Cory can do but nod along to everything Naveed is saying, knowing that there's nothing he can say that's going to make Naveed change his mind, so he just agrees "Nav mate I really don't deserve you thank you." and ouch, Naveed thinks, that fucking hurt.  
Naveed adds another thing to his ever growing mental list of "Things To Do For Cory Wilson" with number 1 being to generally make sure he gets better and that this flu doesn't literally kill him, and number 2 being to kill Kevin Wilson because he does not deserve to have a son as wonderful as Cory. 

When Cory eventually gets home, the journey that usually takes 5 minutes takes him 25 minutes today because he just did not have the energy to walk, and also because he had to catch his breath a few times but he wouldn't be telling Naveed that, knowing it would make him panic and he hated the concerned look Naveed got because of Cory, he always felt so guilty, always thinking he didn't deserve it, never thinking that Naveed actually really did care about him and that Naveed thought there was nobody else on this earth quite like Cory Wilson. 

When he eventually got in the front door, after what he now considers the worst experience of his life including the time he drank 8 cans of cheap cider and sprained his ankle falling off of the shed in the backyard, he dumped his bag at the front door, falling onto the couch , willing his pounding headache to just go and falling asleep straight away. When Naveed was on the way to the Wilsons, he texted Cory, just a simple "im on my way over now ill be 5 mins x" , He doesn't even know why he texts to remind Cory, he knows he's probably asleep and he's home alone anyway so it doesn't make a difference if he announces his arrival or not. That doesn't stop the panic he starts to feel in his chest when Cory doesn't reply, knowing logically that Cory probably just fell asleep, that he hadn't had a decent sleep in days and probably fell asleep as soon as he got in the door, but the nervous, overly protective part of him starts panicking, thinking up all sorts of scenarios. He knows he's being dramatic, knows Cory is asleep but it doesn't stop him from walking a bit faster on the short walk to Cory's house. 

When there's no answer his suspicions are confirmed, he's asleep on the couch just like Naveed expected, so instead he lets out the breath he didnt know he keeping in and picks up the spare key that Cory leaves under the mat and lets himself in, putting away all the shopping he's bought to get them both through the weekend and leaving all the different types of medicine he bought Cory on the counter before putting the kettle on to boil and going to wake up Cory. 

"Cor, Cory it's just me, you need to wake up I have the kettle on, I'm just making us tea and then we're going upstairs because you need a proper sleep in your own bed" Naveed nudged Cory until Cory finally opened his eyes and barely muttered out "Time is it Nav?" and coughing again, Naveed cringes a bit at how painful the cough sounds and whispers "It's only 7 Cory, cmon get up you need to go to bed no offence mate but you do NOT look good like, at all" theres no heat behind the words, and it comforts Cory knowing there's someone who's making such an effort for him, something he hasn't experienced since his mum left, he quickly pushes that thought away and just smiles at Naveed, pulling himself off the couch and follows his best friend into the kitchen where he's handed two paracetamol and a glass of water where Naveed tells him "Take those, drink all the water and then come upstairs and choose a movie. I brought my laptop so we can watch whatever you want" and Cory laughs, he rarely ever sees Naveed so bossy, so protective of anyone other Nasreen and it makes him feel a lot safer than he has in a long time. 

When he eventually goes upstairs and enters his room it's not lost on him that the last time him and Naveed were in his room alone, the roles were switched and it was Naveed who needed someone to just be there for him, that they had nearly ruined the friendship that night because of his reaction to his ongoing sexuality crisis, and yet here was Naveed still giving up his weekend to take care of a sick Cory Wilson despite everything. 

Cory just smiled at Naveed who had a fresh pair of tracksuit bottoms and a tshirt laid out for him, taking the hint and just muttering out "God Nav you're so good at this", and that made Naveed much happier than he would ever admit. 

Once Cory was changed and in bed, happily scrolling through netflix , asking Naveed "Okay don't laugh but do you prefer Madagascar or Kung Fu Panda?" and, well Naveed is only human and hearing Cory "Walking STD" Wilson have an internal debate over whether to watch Madagascar or Kung Fu Panda is probably the cutest thing he's ever seen. Naveed keeps this to himself though, making sure he isn't thinking out loud again and just "I prefer Madagascar but whichever you want Cor I dont care" not missing the soft smile on Cory's face, and he just climbs in beside Cory, not caring how small Corys single bed is, and certainly not caring when Cory moves closer and mumbles "Nav you're so warm i'm not being dramatic but this is the best I've felt in days" before laying his head on naveeds shoulder and whispering "Is this okay?" in such a shy voice that Naveed can't believe who this is, knowing that if anyone else had said Cory was actually such a softie, he would never believe them, would brush it off and say no fucking way, theres no hope that Cory could be so ... clingy. But instead of voicing this, Naveed just puts his arm around Cory in an attempt to warm him up even more and tells him "Of course its okay Cor, anything is if it makes you feel better" making Cory smile again and God, Naveed thinks, If all I have to do is keep him warm to see that smile all the time I'll be his personal heater. Naveed moved around, getting himself and Cory comfortable, making sure Cory was as comfortable as he could get him and starts running his hands through Corys hair, untangling any knots as gently as he can and flattening Corys hair as hes finished, in the most comforting way he can , copying the technique Nasreen used when she ran her fingers through his hair when he was relying on her for comfort, and letting his best friend fall asleep on him. 

When Naveed woke up the next morning Cory was wide awake, looking much better than he had the previous day, but still lying on Naveeds chest with his arm stretching across Naveeds torso. When Naveed opened his eyes he just smiled down at Cory, asking the question he feels like hes asked 100 times since yesterday, but always having the same careful concern in his voice "How are you feeling?" and Cory smiles, genuinely happy and not a panicked, tight lipped smile like the one he had during biology where he was desperately trying to just get through the lesson without passing out from just how ill he felt. "Yeah I feel so much better Nav, like if I eat I wont spend the day with my head down the toilet" Cory replied, blushing slightly as he realised yeah, that might have been a bit TOO much information, voice still sounding like his throat must be sore, but a lot better than he did the previous night. Naveed sat up and yawned, cracking his back and thinking for a minute "Okay, go downstairs and set up Netflix, I'll make you this tea my mum used to make me and I'll do you toast and I'll follow you in?" and well, that was enough for Cory. He gave Naveed a quick hug and looked at him "Naveed Haider you are an angel, I really am grateful thank you" and Naveed fell even more in love with Cory at that moment, how he was so grateful, so shocked that someone actually cared. "Of course Cor, I'll always be here when you're being an idiot and suffering in silence" which, fairly made Cory smack Naveed and "HEY. I didn't want to be annoying and cause a fuss, you and Riz have enough to deal with instead of me being a clingy mess because of a stupid cold" , which Naveed just let go, he decided to not push Cory, to not remind him that himself and Riz would literally drop everything and anything to be by his side how he had done for them countless times, and to just smile at him and say "Downstairs. Now. Go." in the softest , but most commanding voice he could manage and handing the duvet to Cory before following him downstairs, and going into the kitchen to make Cory a honey and ginger tea, something his mum always made him when he was sick, bringing it into Cory and being secretly delighted when Cory said "Fuckin hell Nav I might have to be sick all the time if you make stuff like this? this is incredible" which, if Cory didn't already have Naveed's heart, He definitely would have after that. 

After Cory finishes his tea, and manages to eat something the two boys are both under Cory's duvet on the Wilsons sofa, on opposite ends of the couch, with Cory shivering despite the heating being on, having the thickest hoodie Naveed could find and being under the duvet, Naveed just rolls his eyes and can't believe Cory is so stubborn, and decides to just ask "You still cold Cor? do you want more tea?" and Cory just "Nav, could we like maybe, like, if it's okay? just-" and Naveed can't handle it anymore, can't handle Cory not being able to just a s k for a cuddle that he interupts and tells him "Yeah, come here you dumbass" and Cory is so grateful for Naveed Haider in that moment, and only a tiny bit endeared and a bit in love with how Naveed knows what he wants so instinctively. So grateful that he just knows what he wants, and is so ready to give it to him without question, and without judgement. Cory gave Naveed the smallest smile ever, one that says everything Naveed needs to know, and moves so he's yet again in Naveeds arms, being kept warm, and safe and it's everything he craved while being ill, and everything he craves when he's alone. He's pretty sure he just craves Naveed being around him at all times, feeling so at peace everytime the other boy is near him but he isn't about to start having another deep conversation with himself about his feelings for the boy he's currently cuddling like his life depends on it, instead he just turns on an old episode of friends, and rests his head on Naveeds shoulder. He's so content, has a warmth running through him that goes beyond a physical warmth, its a type of warmth that makes him feel like nothing could go wrong in this moment, so Cory decides to tell Naveed how much this means to him, telling himself that if Naveed brushes it off or calls him a dickhead he'll blame all the medicine he's on, saying he was out of it. But he takes the leap , and tells Naveed "I love when you take care of me Nav, I really could get used to this I meant what I said earlier about the tea and all" and God, he can't decide if thats the easiest thing, or the hardest thing he's ever said, hoping that Naveed picks up that he doesnt mean in a 'everytime I have a flu will you be my personal doctor' way but in a 'I could get used to us waking up together and cuddling all day instead of going outside' kind of way, and the wait to hear Naveeds reaction is probably the worst experience of his life, but Naveed just, in a perfect Naveed Haider-esque way, simply kisses Cory's forehead, knowing that Cory's words meant a lot more to both of them than they would ever admit , and unable to deny Cory of anything on a normal day, nevermind when he's curled up into his side, looking fucking adorable and admitting his deepest feelings says "I love taking care of you"

**Author's Note:**

> pls be kind this is my first fic ever and i am : nervous 
> 
> follow me on twitter @corywiisons !


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